July Archives
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CMS Announces Manual Wheelchair Accessories are Permanently Exempt from the Competitive Bidding Program
July 29, 2021
Categories: Competitive Bidding, General
CMS announced today that manual wheelchair accessories will be permanently exempt from future competitive bidding programs.
As printed in the CMS fact sheet:
“CMS is finalizing an exclusion from fee schedule adjustments based on information from the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) for wheelchair accessories (including seating systems) and seat and back cushions furnished in connection with group 3 or higher complex rehabilitative power wheelchairs. We are also...
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John Gallagher Emphasizes Importance of Meeting with Your Legislators During the August Recess
July 29, 2021
Categories: General, PHE, Reimbursement
The August recess is the is the perfect opportunity to get face to face with your member of Congress. This year, the recess begins August 2 and ends on September 10. It’s important to build/maintain these relationships so HME legislation can move more efficiently through governments at both levels.
Here is John Gallagher of VGM’s Government Relations team talking about the importance of the August Recess.
Click here for the...
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VGM Sends Letter to FDA Asking to Expedite the Approval of the Philips Respironics Alternative Sound Abatement Foam
July 21, 2021
Categories: General
VGM recognizes the impact that the current shortage of CPAP/RAD machines is having on your business and the DME industry as a whole. Until Philips Respironics receives approval from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regarding:
1) the process that will be used to repair and replace devices impacted by the recall and
2) the use of an alternative sound abatement foam in their devices,
they cannot offer any new...
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HHS Extends COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
July 19, 2021
On Monday, July 19, 2021, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra announced an extension of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). This extension will last another 90 days from July 20, 2021. The COVID-19 PHE was initially declared on January 31, 2020 (with acknowledgement that it has existed since January 27th). Any PHE declaration can only last for 90 days at a time, but can be extended or renewed. It has already been renewed multiple times. There are several provisions tied to the duration of...
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August Recess is Around the Corner
July 15, 2021
Categories: General, PHE, Reimbursement, State Associations
Every year, members of Congress take the end of summer to spend time in their state/districts to hear from their constituent base. This year, the August recess begins August 2 and ends on September 10. Now is the time to reach out to your members of Congress at both the state and federal level to schedule a meeting during the August break. It’s important to build these relationships so HME legislation can move more efficiently through both levels of government.
VGM...
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State Association Spotlight: TexMEP
July 12, 2021
Categories: General, State Associations
Our HME State Associations do so much to advocate and improve the HME industry. We are excited to feature one of our dedicated state associations in this spotlight!
We are now through the middle of the summer, and we are proud to feature TexMEP as a spotlight HME state association. TexMEP has been very active these past few months. We’re hoping this article will provide you with some inspiration leading into the August recess efforts.
The...
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HHS Provider Relief Fund Reporting - New Guidance and Supporting Documents
July 9, 2021
Since the HHS Provider Relief Fund (PRF) reporting portal opened on July 1, 2021, HHS has released some updated guidance and two important supporting documents to assist providers as they prepare to submit their reports on how they used the dollars they received. The first document is a 36-page data entry workbook, which walks providers through the various data points and fields that they will need to include in their reports. That workbook can be found here.
The workbook can also...
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VGM & Associates Guide to OSHA's COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard
July 7, 2021
Categories: COVID-19, General, OSHA
In an effort to ensure a safer working environment and reduce the risk of exposure to, or transmission of, COVID-19 for healthcare workers across our country, President Biden signed the Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety on January 21, 2021. That executive order tasked OSHA with creating and implementing a plan to better protect employees in certain workplaces. OSHA has now responded by issuing a new COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). As of Monday, June 21, 2021,...
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From the Desk of Ronda Buhrmester: Proposed Changes to Home Oxygen NCD!
July 2, 2021
Categories: CMS, General, Reimbursement
We have been following this closely as stakeholders and suppliers provided comments when the NCD opened up in 2020. This is good news coming on the proposed oxygen NCD!
Here are a few highlights of changes:
For full details from CMS, click here.The comment period... Read More